Local projects could get funds from stimulus bill

Written by Kelly Kaczala

February 26, 2009

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Local communities have prepared a list of shovel-ready projects they hope will get funding from the federal stimulus bill recently passed by Congress. Officials have only a couple of weeks to submit the projects to state officials, who will decide which communities will get the millions of dollars allocated for infrastructure improvements.

Northwood’s list includes road resurfacing and intersection improvements, according to Administrator Pat Bacon. The projects include an intersection improvement at Bradner and Curtice roads. Concrete abutments at the intersection make it difficult for vehicles to turn at the intersection.

“It makes it really tough for a school bus to turn there. If there is a car coming on Curtice Road that wants to turn, that school bus would have to back up,” said Bacon.

Another project is resurfacing Wales Road in front of the municipal building.

“We started resurfacing Wales Road in sections years ago, basically from I-75 to Oregon Road, then Oregon Road to Tracy, then Tracy to East Broadway, then East Broadway to in front of the municipal building,” said Bacon. The city wants to resurface the road in front of the police station at the municipal building to Woodville Road.

Also on the list is resurfacing Lemoyne Road, from Woodville Road to Curtice Road.

Finally, the city would like a lift station to service a detention pond installed at Brentwood Park for drainage.

“These are projects we have a need for, and we have had on a list to do. We just don’t have the money to do them. We were hoping to apply for grant money next year for the Bradner and Curtice intersection improvement,” said Bacon.

Oregon Public Service Director Paul Roman said the city also has several projects that would benefit from stimulus funds.

The city is requesting $712,000 for phase I of a sewer rehabilitation project at Woodville and Pickle roads, which will reduce infiltration and inflow (I&I) problems of storm water into the waste water treatment plant.

“I already have some Ohio Public Works Commission money for it, but I thought if I could get some more money toward the local share, I would submit it. And I did,” he said.

The Wheeling Street improvement project is also on the list. The city is asking for $1.7 million in federal stimulus funds for the $9 million project. It consists of the improvement of 0.97 miles of Wheeling Street, with the replacement of the existing bridge over I-280, including roadway widening and resurfacing between Brown Road and Navarre Avenue. The existing two-lane interchange bridge will be replaced with a six-lane bridge to accommodate the existing traffic. It will also include traffic signals, lighting, drainage, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, guardrail, signing, pavement markings, waterline relocation, utility relocation and related work.

The city is also requesting $3.2 million for the $4 million Big Ditch improvement project. It calls for the installation of a new outlet of Big Ditch into Lake Erie, 9,000 lineal feet of new open stream channels, the installation of 13,200 lineal feet of new storm drainage pipe ranging from 12-inch diameter. to 68-inch by 105-inch HERCP storm sewers, and 454 lineal feet of reinforced concrete box culverts including associated structures, headwalls, and site restorations.

The list also requests:•$3 million for the improvement of 11,400 feet of roadwork on Otter Creek Road between Corduroy Road and Bay Shore Road, including the York Street intersection. The project will include new underdrains, berm, storm culverts, site grading and right-of-way restoration.•$400,000 for the $750,000 Coy Road and Starr Avenue intersection improvement project, which consists of roadwork and a traffic control system upgrade. •$350,000 for the Starr Extension bridge replacement over Wolfe Creek. •$300,000 for the Taylor Street bridge replacement over Otter Creek.•$125,000 for the Lallendorf Road bridge replacement over Amolsch Ditch.•$500,000 for the 2009 road resurfacing program. The project calls for resurfacing and/or repairing approximately 3.5 centerline miles of various streets.•$3.6 million to relocate the Amolsch/Driftmeyer Ditch, which will consist of constructing 12,200 feet of new channels and four new structures to cross under existing rail and roadways. Relocation will remove the ditch from the refinery area and thus improve refinery operations as well as reducing the potential for environmental degradation of the ditch and Lake Erie. Relocating the ditch will increase stream capacity, provide opportunities for the establishment of wetlands and reduce flooding in the city.•$5.7 million for the realignment of Cedar Point Road. The project consists of 14,400 feet of new roads to realign Cedar Point Road from Otter Creek to Wynn Road, and relocating a portion of Dupont Road. The realignment of Cedar Point Road will assist with an orderly expansion of the existing refinery, improve safety of adjacent traffic and maintain circulation for motorists.•$800,000 for Phase 2 of the sanitary sewer rehabilitation project.•$479,000 for Phase I of the sanitary sewer system inspection and I&I removal program.•$741,415 for Phase 3 of the Southshore waterline replacement project.

Roman said he’s submitted the list to several state agencies that provide different services, such as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Roman said he expects stiff competition from other communities for the limited amount of money that is available.

“I don’t know what to expect,” he said. “In terms of highway projects, there’s $11 million allotted for TMACOG [Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments) for area highway projects. The preliminary list of what people have already submitted comes to $200 million. That’s way beyond the $11 million. So there’s really going to be a lot of competition. To decide who gets it, I can see that taking a while.”